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The City Without Jews: A Novel of Our Time: A Chilling Vision of Exile, Prejudice, and Political Backlash - A Satirical Prophecy From 1920s Vienna
What happens when an entire city votes to expel its Jewish population?
Originally published in Vienna in 1922, The City Without Jews is Hugo Bettauer’s eerie and satirical vision of how exclusion, populism, and antisemitism unravel society. In this fictionalized Austria, all Jews are forced to leave the city—and Christian citizens celebrate. But in time, the economy crumbles, culture vanishes, and spiritual decay sets in.
First translated into English by Salomea Neumark Brainin in 1926, this version remains a harrowing civic mirror—and a prescient warning. Bettauer was assassinated shortly after writing this novel, and it was later banned and burned by the Nazis.
This edition
Public domain formatting updated for readability
Historical context on Bettauer’s life and assassination
AI literacy activities that challenge readers to simulate the logic of mass exclusion
Ethical reflection prompts and dinner table questions
Part of The Big Ideas Club Jewish Memory Classics, this edition is designed for readers ages 13 and up, homeschool settings, and civic discussion groups.
🕍 A satire that predicted the unthinkable. A novel that became history’s echo.
Originally published in Vienna in 1922, The City Without Jews is Hugo Bettauer’s eerie and satirical vision of how exclusion, populism, and antisemitism unravel society. In this fictionalized Austria, all Jews are forced to leave the city—and Christian citizens celebrate. But in time, the economy crumbles, culture vanishes, and spiritual decay sets in.
First translated into English by Salomea Neumark Brainin in 1926, this version remains a harrowing civic mirror—and a prescient warning. Bettauer was assassinated shortly after writing this novel, and it was later banned and burned by the Nazis.
This edition
Public domain formatting updated for readability
Historical context on Bettauer’s life and assassination
AI literacy activities that challenge readers to simulate the logic of mass exclusion
Ethical reflection prompts and dinner table questions
Part of The Big Ideas Club Jewish Memory Classics, this edition is designed for readers ages 13 and up, homeschool settings, and civic discussion groups.
🕍 A satire that predicted the unthinkable. A novel that became history’s echo.
165 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 8, 2025
1 person is currently reading
About the author
Hugo Bettauer
123 books9 followersMaximilian Hugo Bettauer (1872 - 1925) was an Austrian writer, journalist, and playwright of Jewish descent.
Bettauer was shot and killed by dental technician Otto Rothstock because of his satire against anti-semitism, City without Jews.
Bettauer was shot and killed by dental technician Otto Rothstock because of his satire against anti-semitism, City without Jews.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 28, 2025
Satirical look at what the effect of Austria passing a law that would ban Jews from Austria with Vienna being the focus of the story. Mind this was written in the 1920's after WWI. Not only were Jews expelled but were only allowed to take a certain amount of money out with them.
The city rejoiced as they became free from the power of the Jews. All was great. Christians were able to find a place to live because the Jews left vacant homes whereas before housing was a problem. Christians were able to take over the businesses, and everyone was happy. But then without the Jews there to buy the luxury items as they had all the money, which seemed to me to be pointing directly to the Jews as being the all-powerful and behind the scenes in everything as some still believe to be true kind of disturbed me, but as it was satire I ignored it.
In 18 months, their money had pretty much lost its value. Everything was sky high, unemployment was high and the government supported the unemployed by raising taxes. Other nations refused to do business or loan them money because of the value of their money.
One lone man in secret on his own printed leaflets pointing a finger at the government and that banning Jews from the city was the cause of Vienna's down fall. Little by little it took hold. Eventually, the citizens protested in the streets and at Parliament. Parliament was struck down, elections held. Believe it or not there were those who didn't believe that the banning of Jews caused their ills and didn't want the law overturned. The election was close. By one vote the vote to keep the law in place would pass. Except the lone man planned to keep one of the members away long enough to miss the vote and get the law overturned.
It's an interesting read and perhaps a warning that if we target a population and keep them out we too might be surprised at how much of an economic impact they had in a good way until it's too late. How long did it take for the fictional account of Vienna's down fall take to recover?
I enjoyed it and there is a movie with the same title on YouTube.
The city rejoiced as they became free from the power of the Jews. All was great. Christians were able to find a place to live because the Jews left vacant homes whereas before housing was a problem. Christians were able to take over the businesses, and everyone was happy. But then without the Jews there to buy the luxury items as they had all the money, which seemed to me to be pointing directly to the Jews as being the all-powerful and behind the scenes in everything as some still believe to be true kind of disturbed me, but as it was satire I ignored it.
In 18 months, their money had pretty much lost its value. Everything was sky high, unemployment was high and the government supported the unemployed by raising taxes. Other nations refused to do business or loan them money because of the value of their money.
One lone man in secret on his own printed leaflets pointing a finger at the government and that banning Jews from the city was the cause of Vienna's down fall. Little by little it took hold. Eventually, the citizens protested in the streets and at Parliament. Parliament was struck down, elections held. Believe it or not there were those who didn't believe that the banning of Jews caused their ills and didn't want the law overturned. The election was close. By one vote the vote to keep the law in place would pass. Except the lone man planned to keep one of the members away long enough to miss the vote and get the law overturned.
It's an interesting read and perhaps a warning that if we target a population and keep them out we too might be surprised at how much of an economic impact they had in a good way until it's too late. How long did it take for the fictional account of Vienna's down fall take to recover?
I enjoyed it and there is a movie with the same title on YouTube.
Displaying 1 of 1 review